I made these Retro Tote Bags using the sew as you go method. I had some nice varieties of retro cotton fabrics and mixed some greys and blacks with them. I used flannelette instead of wadding because I didn’t want such a thick finish and stitched directly onto drill fabric with the piecing.  I think they turned out quite nice and trendy!

I had a stall at Northampton Airing of the Quilts yesterday, behind the Visitor Centre.  Thanks to Tarn who came up with me as my apprentice and helped to set the stall up and decorate the verandah.  I love going to see all the other creative stall holders and display quilts.  My owls and lavender heat packs sold well.  Great day out!

All packed and ready to head to southern Africa tomorrow. We are visiting South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. I love Africa, it is so unique, beautiful wildlife, awesome people and a great cultural experience.

I had a Daffy Designs stall at the Midwest Baby and Kids Market, I usually do this annually in May. I was hoping to sell some homemade goods so I could buy books for overseas but it was rather quiet and I didn’t do so well. Anyway I have added a neutral infant quilt to my collection for sale. This was the feedback from expectant mums last market – they didn’t know what they were having and were after something neutral.

Made entirely from my scraps, even the wadding was an offcut.

And a hipster bag for me to take travelling with me, I put a deep insert/pocket inside the lining for my passport and purse.

The Sew Good Quilts are still coming along (more work being done by the other women involved rather than me I am afraid, I have been too busy with work commitments). I believe there are nearly 20 in the making at the moment so we hope to make them all before Christmas and get them sent to the kids. More on this when I return.

My mother sent me some vintage scraps, too small to quilt and a variety of fabric types. I put together small squares to make some therapeutic heat packs. I made an insert where I put some brown rice, dried lavender and some lavender essence. I think they look good mixed with some of my modern fabrics.

Sew Good Group – we currently have about 18 quilts in progress, some of the finished ones so far….last week we sandwiched about 7 quilts and now quilting over Easter to get some complete to go back to the ladies for binding. Our goal is 35 kids quilts, we are getting there slowly thanks to all the good women who help out (especially those who bring scones and cake).

I have been sewing some smaller items in my spare time during March. Yes, our Sew Good Group are still working on our 35 charity kids quilts and this is a huge project! Expected date of finish will probably be Christmas…

I used some fabric from one of the sewing group ladies who donated some gorgeous Australian animals, and made a book bag for a girl who lives in Namibia who I sponsor to go to school. I will take it with me when I go in June this year and will add some Australian books it in and squash in the suitcase. Only 8 weeks to my trip – 4 weeks visiting Botswana and Namibia, can’t wait.

The pattern I used was from Handmade Annual Vol 31 No 6, pattern by Rhonda Thornley.

Some mug rugs I made to go into a raffle for my tennis club ladies night. I made up a Mothers Day Basket complete with mugs, mug rugs, tea, biscuits etc. Forgot to take a photo of the finished product though!

Lastly, I thought I would try a tote using the quilted panel method. Two hours sewing per panel, but it all came together beautifully. Great way to use scraps.

I was going to keep for myself but I had a work fundraiser (I work in a non-profit) – so it went to a better cause as a raffle. I can always make another. I filled it with chocolate and added a champagne.

And the other side…Kombi van fabric from Spoonflower, the rest are my scraps and I purchased the plain grey cotton.

I received a custom order for a kindy set for a boy who was starting 3 year old kindy. He needed a blanket, small cushion and drawstring bag. Made with some cute trucks and car fabrics and matching fabrics. The blanket is polar fleece and I put scrappy binding around it from fabrics in the bag and cushion.

Made just in time for start of school. Enjoy!

I have been working on a quilt to raffle to raise funds to pay for the wadding for our charity quilts. I had some nice zebra print and teamed it with some bright colours. The quilt design is the Stacks quilt from the book Growing Up Modern by Allison Harris. What a great simple and modern pattern!

I made the squares 5 1/2″ each and did 11 stacks high by 9 blocks wide. The matching cushion was made with 3 1/4″ squares with the scrap from the quilt. The backing also had two rows of fabric squares so the quilt is reversible, nice to look at both ways. The quilt was quilted across the squares.

Tickets on sale now. So on to a girls quilt to raffle next…

I have had some help from some lovely ladies to help cut and start piecing some quilt tops for the Sew Good – Kids Quilt Project (see details under Sew Good tab). 35 quilts is a huge task and it is taking me a couple of hours to cut and piece each quilt. I have set no time limit on the project – as most of us work, we will just meet when we can and see how we go.

We are putting together simple strip quilts from fabric we have purchased and donated from others. We have a lot of beginner quilters so it is great to share and help them learn some quilting basics. The quilts will be approximately 40-42″ x 50 -54″ -child’s size. We have 6 tops pieced and sewn, which is a great start. A nice local quilting lady has offered to purchase a roll of wool wadding for us and we can repay as we fundraise. A big thanks to that lady, she knows who she is and all the others who have donated their fabrics, time and effort!

I will post the quilts as we finish them.

This quilt was made over the Christmas break, great to have a few days off work to put some quilt tops together. I decided on a regulated strip quilt but put it into blocks. The strips were cut at 5″, 3″, 1 1/2″ and 3 1/2″. I wanted to try out the Nu Wool wadding prior to using for the Sew Good kids quilts project and it quilted up great.

The feature fabric is a Robert Kaufman London Calling (Vintage) and it went well with some other scrap fabrics I had on hand. I added a little grey and white to give it a modern look. I love the aqua and greens together and threw in a few navy blue pieces to contrast. The binding is Wallpaper in Gray by Riley Blake Designs which came in the post from overseas (Hawthorne Threads) just when I needed it.